intellectual caliban (Lev)
@levnekov.bsky.social
23. PhD student in musicology at Pitt. BA Music (UIUC, 2025). inquisitor of finite modes, perseverer of the Absolute. editor for @crittheoryworkgrp.bsky.social. banner from Soul Glo, Gold Chain Punk. Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/levnekov
Pinned
notes to self:
- be reasonably polite to normies
- be helpful when asked
- it's ok for someone to be wrong w/o textblocking them
- your ability to make a living involves politics
- you don't have to go for the jugular every time
- strategize without becoming reliant on strategems
- touch grass
- be reasonably polite to normies
- be helpful when asked
- it's ok for someone to be wrong w/o textblocking them
- your ability to make a living involves politics
- you don't have to go for the jugular every time
- strategize without becoming reliant on strategems
- touch grass
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Nuanced take: I think it's really important to give *normal citizens* who supported Trump and off-ramp and *professional writers, pundits and politicians* who supported Trump should have to wear it like a scarlet letter for the rest of their lives
This is aggravating, because on the one hand I think it's really important to give fascists an off-ramp and positive reinforcement when they use it...
...on the other hand, FUCK that guy, in particular.
...on the other hand, FUCK that guy, in particular.
January 18, 2026 at 8:30 PM
Nuanced take: I think it's really important to give *normal citizens* who supported Trump and off-ramp and *professional writers, pundits and politicians* who supported Trump should have to wear it like a scarlet letter for the rest of their lives
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
respect for the academic enterprise constitutively involves being disdainful of bad arguments. literally the whole point is to distinguish good arguments from bad arguments
I want to address my friend Ilan who says here that he has been subject to “a lot of hate” from academics who “should know better” and haven’t respected the “academic enterprise.”
I don’t dislike Ilan. I also think his paper is fundamentally wrong and not scholarly.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=pFge...
I don’t dislike Ilan. I also think his paper is fundamentally wrong and not scholarly.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=pFge...
The Sanity Interview: Ilan Wurman
YouTube video by The New York Sun
m.youtube.com
January 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM
respect for the academic enterprise constitutively involves being disdainful of bad arguments. literally the whole point is to distinguish good arguments from bad arguments
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
fwiw these are unionized hotels and their local sent a formal request to employers not to accept ICE bookings or allow ICE to use their facilities www.facebook.com/share/p/1aV9...
ICE agents at a hotel in St. Paul woke up this morning to news that they’re getting kicked out of their hotel today at noon.
January 18, 2026 at 5:26 PM
fwiw these are unionized hotels and their local sent a formal request to employers not to accept ICE bookings or allow ICE to use their facilities www.facebook.com/share/p/1aV9...
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
I haven't seen the dunks but I will say that LOCAL CONDITIONS have to determine TACTICS. Folks, whistles are just a tactic and tactics vary according to context. Why waste time on this? If you've organized for 10 minutes, you know this is true. Keep it moving.
People are dunking on the posts from rapid response groups in the DC area about why they don’t use whistles
But those groups are making these kinds of decisions after talking with a whole bunch of people in the targeted communities. They’re not doing it arbitrarily
But those groups are making these kinds of decisions after talking with a whole bunch of people in the targeted communities. They’re not doing it arbitrarily
January 18, 2026 at 4:06 PM
I haven't seen the dunks but I will say that LOCAL CONDITIONS have to determine TACTICS. Folks, whistles are just a tactic and tactics vary according to context. Why waste time on this? If you've organized for 10 minutes, you know this is true. Keep it moving.
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Here’s another great place to send money.
Our community is in peril. Our neighbors need our help in this time of ICE presence and subzero temperatures.
Mpls has a shortage of available shelter for residents, and our city govt has not developed adequate resources to humanely house people.
Please support MIWRC in this time of emergency.
Mpls has a shortage of available shelter for residents, and our city govt has not developed adequate resources to humanely house people.
Please support MIWRC in this time of emergency.
January 18, 2026 at 4:50 AM
Here’s another great place to send money.
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
this is really where we're at rn
January 18, 2026 at 4:03 PM
this is really where we're at rn
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Because these international grocers need your support now more than ever, especially during these times, here’s a guide to the international grocers of the Twin Cities that I wrote for @racketmn.com: racketmn.com/guide-intern...
A Guide to the International Grocers of the Twin Cities - Racket
The Twin Cities is home to over 40 international grocers, and they deserve your dollars, too.
racketmn.com
January 18, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Because these international grocers need your support now more than ever, especially during these times, here’s a guide to the international grocers of the Twin Cities that I wrote for @racketmn.com: racketmn.com/guide-intern...
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
My naturalized Chinese father-in-law didn’t know that ICE/CBP was targeting Asian communities in Minnesota as well, and now gets to go and shove that in the faces of the MAGA Chinese members of his WeChat groupchats who think they’re going to be safe as the right kind of minority
January 18, 2026 at 4:30 PM
My naturalized Chinese father-in-law didn’t know that ICE/CBP was targeting Asian communities in Minnesota as well, and now gets to go and shove that in the faces of the MAGA Chinese members of his WeChat groupchats who think they’re going to be safe as the right kind of minority
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
The left has £3 with which to make the ideal left wing publication!
Choose between:
£50,000: Professional looking
£85,000: Not too liberal
£85,000: No weird 19th century larping
£90,000: Diverse writers
£50,000: Intellectually rigourous
£65,000: Not to complicated for ordinary people
£50,000: No-
Choose between:
£50,000: Professional looking
£85,000: Not too liberal
£85,000: No weird 19th century larping
£90,000: Diverse writers
£50,000: Intellectually rigourous
£65,000: Not to complicated for ordinary people
£50,000: No-
January 18, 2026 at 11:44 AM
The left has £3 with which to make the ideal left wing publication!
Choose between:
£50,000: Professional looking
£85,000: Not too liberal
£85,000: No weird 19th century larping
£90,000: Diverse writers
£50,000: Intellectually rigourous
£65,000: Not to complicated for ordinary people
£50,000: No-
Choose between:
£50,000: Professional looking
£85,000: Not too liberal
£85,000: No weird 19th century larping
£90,000: Diverse writers
£50,000: Intellectually rigourous
£65,000: Not to complicated for ordinary people
£50,000: No-
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
slug is going to be more down bad than i am once he opens up his Discord notifications
January 18, 2026 at 6:41 AM
slug is going to be more down bad than i am once he opens up his Discord notifications
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
Catch as Catch Can, by Francis Picabia, 1913
January 18, 2026 at 3:50 AM
Catch as Catch Can, by Francis Picabia, 1913
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
these caves in Ishigaki, Japan pipe in music through the entirety of the walkway. please think about what kind of music you would pipe into a cave to improve the ambiance. then unmute. you are wrong
January 17, 2026 at 7:25 AM
these caves in Ishigaki, Japan pipe in music through the entirety of the walkway. please think about what kind of music you would pipe into a cave to improve the ambiance. then unmute. you are wrong
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
People in Minnesota are now using their key fobs to trigger their car alarms from the safety of their homes when they see ICE walking around.
January 17, 2026 at 9:08 PM
People in Minnesota are now using their key fobs to trigger their car alarms from the safety of their homes when they see ICE walking around.
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
chat is it good for your team if they start playing Radiohead’s Jigsaw Falling Into Place before cutting to ads
Please, my 9ers, they are very sick.
January 18, 2026 at 3:41 AM
chat is it good for your team if they start playing Radiohead’s Jigsaw Falling Into Place before cutting to ads
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
dudes rock
Middle finger mask guy welcomes ICE agents back to HQ.
Whipple Federal Building,
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
01/17/26
Whipple Federal Building,
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
01/17/26
January 18, 2026 at 2:49 AM
dudes rock
Reposted by intellectual caliban (Lev)
